Letter to Mathematics Alumni re: W.R.(Bill) Gordon Scholarship

Department of Mathematics & Statistics
University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C.
April 15, 2011

re: W.R.(Bill) Gordon Scholarship

Dear Mathematics Alumni:

Many of you may have learned that Dr. W.R. Bill Gordon, who was a faculty member in UVic’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics from 1965 to 2001 and served as its Head from 1973 to 1977, passed away in December 2010.

This letter, which comes to you from the current and former Chairs of Mathematics & Statistics, is being sent to former students who completed undergraduate programs in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science or in combined/joint programs with Chemistry, Economics or Physics during Bill Gordon’s 36 period as a professor in the Department.

Our purpose in writing is to bring to your attention an effort initiated by a group of friends and colleagues to raise $25,000 in order to endow the W.R.(Bill) Gordon Scholarship in his memory. We believe this attempt to establish a lasting tribute to Bill Gordon to be a most worthy cause. He was a most respected, dedicated, and faculty member. Many students will have had Bill as their professor in introductory calculus or matrix algebra courses. In addition, Bill was instrumental in forging initiatives in curriculum design, including development of a new course in Mathematics of Finance, the introduction of co-operative education programs and the maintenance of grading standards.

Bill also found time to contribute to the university’s Athletic and Recreational programs. He was a seminal force and architect in the establishment of the university’s current Athletic and Recreation policies. Besides all of these activities and commitments, Bill was an active rugby player, a jazz aficionado, and a devoted family man. Additional details about his wide ranging and lasting contributions to the University of Victoria can be found in a recent article in the Ring or in this screenshot in PDF format.

We would be grateful for your participation in establishing this lasting tribute to Bill Gordon. In order to make a contribution, please make your donation payable to the University of Victoria and mail to